Coronavirus Communication Update

MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO

(June 4, 2020) We currently do not have any confirmed or positive COVID-19 cases on our campus.

Love Your Neighbor. Period.

Because words are not enough, we are taking action and partnering with Green Dot Lexington, a nationally celebrated non-violence program that believes our everyday decisions hold the power to prevent and reduce violence in our home community. Each time someone in Lexington chooses to act to ensure the safety of others, they are putting a green dot (a moment of safety) on our community map.

Green Dot Lexington “envisions Lexington’s community map to be filled with green dots, showing that here in the bluegrass, we do not tolerate any form of violence, and everyone is expected to do their part in keeping this community safe.”

Our staff will undergo training with Dawn Runyon of Green Dot Lexington, to give practical ways to be aware and active bystanders, equipped with the personal tools needed to peacefully resolve potential moments of conflict and live lives that promote respect and safety for all, whether the abuse happening is intimate partner abuse, racial violence, elder abuse, etc.

We have no room here at Sayre Christian Village for racism and will be one of the first in line for the newly revamped Green Dot Lexington training programs.

Salon Services are Coming Back

Mark your calendars! June 15th, Lois and Brenda will be THE most popular folks on campus, because the Beauty Shops are reopening.

Salon Services will be available:

9 AM – 3 PM, Monday – Friday at the Sayre Healthcare Center

9 AM – 3 PM, Monday – Friday at Friendship Towers Apartments

Saturdays at Baunta Apartments

Activities will assist with scheduling at the Healthcare Center. For the safety of residents and the cosmetologists, we will be following not just the state guidelines for salons to reopen, but also the even stricter long-term care guidelines. For example, only one resident and one cosmetologist will be in the salon at a time.

An Answered Prayer

We are celebrating an answered prayer today! God is good. Through an incredibly generous private donation (THANK YOU) and some behind-the-scenes help from a few community do-gooders, including Jeff Layne of Dever Inc. Golf Car, Sayre Christian Village welcomed home twin golf carts to help us tour potential residents & families and shuttle community members that come for our mission walks across the 27 acre campus.

Jeff said, “When I heard that Sayre needed help, I jumped at the chance to get involved. Older adults have a special place in my heart & I just love what Sayre Christian Village is doing in the community.”

He said that the twins will be very happy here in ‘retirement.’ We should all be so lucky to retire at such a young age! Welcome to #TeamSCV, new speedy little carts.

Help us name them below!

(June 1, 2020) We currently do not have any confirmed or positive COVID-19 cases on our campus.

Testing on the Housing Side of Campus

Thank you for continued patience for testing results at Baunta, Forest View and Friendship Towers Apartments. Testing was done on the housing side on Friday and those results are just starting to roll in. We do not have any suspected cases in any of those buildings at this time.

(May 28, 2020) We currently do not have any confirmed or positive COVID-19 cases on our campus.

Testing at Sayre Healthcare Center Today

Earlier in May, Governor Beshear announced state-wide COVID-19 testing for long-term care facilities. Our residents and staff at the Sayre Healthcare Center underwent the large undertaking of testing today and we couldn’t be happier with the effort from the team.

I’m so proud of this team! We have been preparing for this moment and everything went as planned.

Because the lab is processing a mass quantity of tests from all over the state, we do not expect results for up to 72 hours.

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the LordGod is an everlasting rock. Isaiah 26:3-4

God’s Blessings,

Karen Venis, CEO

(May 27, 2020) We currently do not have any confirmed or positive COVID-19 cases on our campus.

The Chaplain is IN!

Our residents at Baunta and Forest View Apartments are excited about the newest addition to their neck of the woods…the sight of Chaplain Tyler in his Peanuts knock-off booth! One happy resident recently commented,

“Fantastic idea Tyler. Really needed my visit with you.”

The weather is nice and sunshiny and having an outdoor booth where folks can be socially distant, while wearing their masks has been a great way to safely reintroduce some of our most cherished spiritual services on campus. These services are some of the very reasons that Sayre Christian Village is the top choice for many of our residents.

We are beyond blessed to have a full-time Chaplain on campus and it’s through community support from generous donors that make it possible.

(May 26, 2020) We currently do not have any confirmed or positive COVID-19 cases on our campus.

We hope you enjoyed the Memorial Day holiday! We really can’t believe we didn’t get the rain that was called for! What a blessing to have sunshine after such a rainy spring.

Our campus is truly grateful for those that have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country, those that have served and those that are still serving.

One of the more light-hearted ways the holiday was spent was with a scavenger hunt at Friendship Towers. Patriot leis were the prize for completing our Memorial Day Scavenger Hunt. The photos brought back memories of loved ones who have bravely served our country over the years.

#LoveStillGetsIn with Technology

We are over the moon to report that we have earned a grant from CMS for TWELVE iPads to be used at the Healthcare Center to aid in communication for Virtual Visits, campus communications and also for activities. Just one way our Activities Director is planning to use them is for Zoom BINGO. Can you imagine a year ago that we’d be learning how to pull off Zoom BINGO? Our volunteers would be able to join in to call out BINGO numbers for the residents. We know everyone will be excited to see and hear their voices.

Monticello Banking Company and Senior Crime Stoppers has moved up their grant award for us to be able to purchase several more iPads to round out needs on different units with their yearly Wish Come True grant. They realize that during these tough times, the need is NOW.

Praise God that we have also been approved for a grant for 21 smart TV’s from Blue Grass Community Foundation. With the addition of smart TVs to Healthcare Center rooms, we’ll be able to communicate through a dedicated in-house channel and relay everything from menus, activities, Bible studies and sermons and campus communications.

Testing at the Healthcare Center

We know that you are curious about when mandatory COVID-19 testing will begin at Sayre Christian Village. Unfortunately, we don’t have those answers yet, but anticipate soon as there was a spike in COVID-19 cases in Lexington over the holiday weekend.

We have been aggressive with our measures in place to prevent COVID-19 on campus, but should we have asymptomatic cases, we are fully prepared with an equally aggressive plan for containment of potential positive cases.

What we urge our Healthcare Center residents and families to remember is that testing does not take the place of infection control practices and social distancing, but it is a step that will give everyone peace of mind that asymptomatic cases are caught quickly. We will continue to follow the infection control practices laid out by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS), Kentucky Health Department and local health agencies.

We continue to do our part and are thankful for your patience as we look to the future. We also continue to look to the state for guidance on testing across campus and will share with you as we learn more.

God’s Best,

Karen Venis, CEO

(May 21, 2020) We currently do not have any confirmed or positive COVID-19 cases on our campus.

Mayor Gorton’s Economic Recovery Task Force includes Karen Venis, CEO

Mayor Gorton is releasing her Blueprint for Economic Recovery for Lexington, Kentucky to ensure that we our friends and families can get back to work and do it safely. Karen Venis was honored to be part of the Healthcare Subcommittee and represent the senior living industry for Lexington and add her insight to the discussions.

Mayor Gorton wrote,

“I want to thank all the leaders who contributed to our Blueprint for Economic Recovery, our guide for the transition from Healthy at Home to Healthy at Work. I have no doubt our conversations will continue in the months ahead as the recovery unfolds.

Opportunity is often missed because it comes dressed in overalls and looks like work.

In Lexington, we’re not afraid of work, and we don’t miss opportunities for our City.”

Karen Venis has said she is encouraged by the plans that she has seen and more importantly, by the thoughtful discussions of community leaders. Everyone is working together to push forward safely.

Contact Tracing

Participation in contact tracing turns out it is going to be a vital step in allowing our facilities to be open to visitors in the future. Please, if you do receive a call from an epidemiologist, please answer it.

If all team members, families, residents in housing and of course, the public in general, do this simple thing that costs you nothing but about a half hour of your time, skilled nursing facilities will be one step closer to opening their doors for visitors and volunteers. We are thrilled that the state is rapidly hiring citizens to do more contact tracing so that they can be up to full speed to mitigate pockets of outbreaks in the general public when they occur.

Memorial Day Weekend

I don’t know about you, but Memorial Day Weekend feels like HOPE to us. We are starting the summer months and we are cautiously optimistic as we look forward to baseline testing. We are urging families to keep gatherings to 10 or fewer people this weekend to do your part to keep chances for COVID-19 spread lower. As we start to see guidance from the state about opening back up in the future, we don’t want one weekend to get in the way of that progress. We all want you back on campus!

“This weekend, think about hands, face and space. So, hands clean and to yourself. Face covered if you’re close and don’t touch it. And, finally, space,” said Gov. Beshear. “We’re going to be really excited to see folks we haven’t in a while, but stay six-feet apart, do it outside if you can, it’s going to make it very safe comparatively.”

(May 20, 2020) We currently do not have any confirmed or positive COVID-19 cases on our campus.

Guidance for Safe Reopening of Skilled Nursing Homes

Everyone, including us, has been waiting with bated breath for news of when and how nursing homes will be allowed to open back up.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) very recently announced new guidance for state and local officials to ensure the safe reopening of nursing homes across the country. It details critical steps nursing homes and communities should take prior to relaxing restrictions implemented to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including rigorous infection prevention and control, adequate testing, and surveillance.

However, nothing is set in stone yet. They are still in discussion stage, but it’s something for us all to look at.

CMS gave states different options on how to implement the recommendations, including:

A State requiring all facilities to go through each phase at the same time (i.e., waiting until all facilities have met entrance criteria for a given phase).

A State allowing facilities in a certain region (e.g., counties) within a state to enter each phase at the same time.

A State permitting individual nursing homes to move through the phases based on each nursing home’s status for meeting the criteria for entering a phase.

Factors in the recommendations that should be used to evaluate the relaxation of restrictions included:

Case status in community

Case status in the nursing home(s)

Adequate staffing

Access to adequate testing

Universal source control

Access to adequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for staff

Local hospital capacity

Testing

With regard to testing, the guidance suggested that the plan should at least test every resident and staff person to establish a baseline. We know this is already happening. We have actually requested to go ahead and do our baseline testing as we are ready and prepared. Please note, that while we wait test results are pending, the state has said that obviously team members can continue to work while this baseline testing occurs if they don’t have symptoms (otherwise we’d have the entire facility off for a day). We are very fortunate in the fact that our Medical Director can get testing results usually within 24 hours.

The guidance suggests that residents should be tested again if in individual(s) later tests positive in the facility. Also, the capacity for weekly testing until all individuals test negative will play a factor. The guidance also suggested that staff should be able to be tested once for an initial baseline test, and then weekly thereafter. State and local leaders can adjust this schedule based on local COVID-19 prevalence.

So, while we do not have anything definitive yet, you can see that we have hope on the horizon. Please continue to pray for the campus as we look forward to our baseline testing. We hope to get approval to start ASAP. We are looking forward to a day when we get the green light to phase back into visitors and volunteers!

Cloth versus Surgical Masks

The following departments will wear surgical masks instead of cloth masks, per recommendations from the CDC.

Housekeeping

Nursing

Therapy

Our staff has been in-serviced regarding mask usage and all other Depts can wear cloth masks at this time. We will also be labeling cloth masks for all residents with their names on them. We are continuing our policy of asking that residents wear masks outside of their rooms.

May your unfailing love be with us, LORD, even as we put our hope in you. — Psalm 33:22

God’s Best,

Karen Venis, CEO

(May 18, 2020) We currently do not have any confirmed or positive COVID-19 cases on our campus.

We’d like to thank so many of our supporters by name – you all have just continued to lift us up! Thank you for caring for the only nonprofit senior living community in Fayette County so faithfully.

Today, we’d like to recognize Williams Brothers Health care Pharmacy and Peggy Vernon. She has hunted down PPE for us numerous times and has delivered shipments all the way from Indiana! She also brings little gifts with her for our healthcare heroes. We appreciate your support, Peggy.

(May 15, 2020) We currently do not have any confirmed or positive COVID-19 cases on our campus.

As we wrap up National Skilled Nursing Care Week, we are recognize our team and our residents and families and celebrate another week down with no cases.

Please take a moment to watch the video below from the the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services to learn more about recent steps and future steps that are being taken in response to COVID-19 preparedness in long term care. We appreciate the support of CHFS because, yes, we are ALL in this together.

Mayor Gorton Announces a Special Proclamation

We are honored that Mayor Linda Gorton, a nurse herself, has chosen to honor our profession in this way and declare National Skilled Nursing Week in Lexington, Kentucky! Select to view the official proclamation.

WHEREAS we honor and respect our elders and citizens of any age with physical or intellectual disabilities who reside in skilled nursing care centers in Lexington, KY and,

WHEREAS I urge all citizens to virtually visit, send an eCard or call a loved one, family member or friend residing in any care setting and offer a kind word to unite those from all walks of life in need of our continuing love and support; and,

WHEREAS my administration is committed to quality health care, we take this moment to embrace the essence of the theme “Sharing Our Wisdom.” Let’s join all residents, patients, caregivers, nurses, other staff and volunteers in celebrating this special week; and,

THEREFORE, do I, Linda Gorton, as Mayor of Lexington, declare the week of May 10 to 16, 2020, as National Skilled Nursing Care Week, a week to honor both our vulnerable citizens who receive care and the dedicated ones giving care.

WHEREAS we honor and respect our elders and citizens of any age with physical or intellectual disabilities who reside in skilled nursing care centers in Lexington, KY and,

WHEREAS I urge all citizens to virtually visit, send an eCard or call a loved one, family member or friend residing in any care setting and offer a kind word to unite those from all walks of life in need of our continuing love and support; and,

WHEREAS my administration is committed to quality health care, we take this moment to embrace the essence of the theme “Sharing Our Wisdom.” Let’s join all residents, patients, caregivers, nurses, other staff and volunteers in celebrating this special week; and,

THEREFORE, do I, Linda Gorton, as Mayor of Lexington, declare the week of May 10 to 16, 2020, as National Skilled Nursing Care Week, a week to honor both our vulnerable citizens who receive care and the dedicated ones giving care.

I Am Proud Of This Campus!

To have the Mayor recognize our profession makes me over-the-moon proud. I am proud to work here and serve our deserving residents. It’s truly an honor to work at a mission that is standing by the promise to provide hope, housing and healthcare.

God’s Best,

Karen Venis, CEO

(May 13, 2020) We currently do not have any confirmed or positive COVID-19 cases on our campus.

“Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.” — C.S. Lewis

This week is National Skilled Nursing Care Week and we are celebrating all things skilled nursing. We are sharing words of wisdom and we are telling our stories. We are so grateful for the amazing staff we have at Sayre Healthcare Center. You are doing essential work that is seen and appreciated.

(May 12, 2020) We currently do not have any confirmed or positive COVID-19 cases on our campus.

Amazing Turnout for the Parade!

Wow! All we can say is WOW. Thank you for showing up and showing how much you care for your mamas that live here and work here.

We can honestly say we were blown away by the community support. Rodders, Inc and The Rebel Corvettes of the Bluegrass showed up with the most amazing classic cars, Elvis LIVES and we got to see the newest firetruck from the Local Fire Department. We so appreciate the Belleau Wood Neighborhood for being so patient because cars backed all the way from Friendship Towers to the Wilson Downing street light.

All I have to say is, if we have this much support for a drive by parade, what is the rejoicing going to look like when we get to welcome families back to campus? That’s a fun thing to imagine! Thank you for showing us all that #LoveStillGetsIn.

Keep an eye on our Facebook page for more videos and clips of the parade!

Guidance for Care Packages, Personal Items & Deliveries

Due to COVID-19 and visitor restrictions in place, we are receiving so many deliveries for our residents and we need your help!

Can you please make sure that any items you drop off or that you have delivered include your loved one’s name and/or room number? This will allow us to get the items to our residents in a much quicker fashion. Your loved ones really enjoy these thoughtful gifts.

God’s Best,

Karen Venis, CEO

(May 11, 2020) We currently do not have any confirmed or positive COVID-19 cases on our campus.

Mother’s Day Parking Lot Parade is TODAY!

We hope to see you later today at the Mother’s Day Parade! It will be chilly, so some residents will be viewing from their windows. Wave & honk loud! We will be joined by two classic car clubs and a brand new fire truck! Should be quite the sight!

The parade starts at 2 PM sharp at 580 Greenfield Drive entrance, by Friendship Towers. Here is a map to ensure you know where to line up!

Sharing our Wisdom

National Skilled Nursing Care Week is in full force today with a kickoff parade, but we have also already started ‘sharing our wisdom’, this year’s theme.

If you follow us on Facebook, you’ve seen several posts lately featuring history and stories of our residents and their great accomplishments. If you haven’t read this story of resiliency, you need to! It will brighten your day.

Thank you to our wonderful staff! The Sayre Christian Village healthcare center team is playing a critical role in caring for residents and saving lives, and that deserves to be honored and celebrated this week.

(May 8, 2020) We currently do not have any confirmed or positive COVID-19 cases on our campus.

Mother’s Day Parking Lot Parade on Monday

Monday’s schedule looks sunny (and a little cool), so the Mother’s Day parade has been rescheduled for Monday, May 11th at 2:00 pm. We will line up at 580 Greenfield Drive (entrance to Friendship Towers). My hope is that you will invite your family members to join in the fun! Some residents may be inside waving from windows due to the unseasonable chill in the air, but they will see lots of fun classic cars and a fire truck drive by…as well as what they want to see most – glimpses of you!

National Skilled Nursing Care Week (NSNCW) May 10th through May 16th

NSNCW recognizes the essential role of skilled nursing care centers in caring for the residents that we serve. This year, while it is more important than ever to recognize our staff and residents in our skilled nursing care centers because of COVID-19, it is a challenge to figure out how best to do so. Because we are restricted from doing group activities and have to encourage good social distancing, things will look a little different for us this year, but we will still have a great time!

Complete the 2020 Census

The 2020 Census is happening now and you can respond online at www.2020census.gov, by phone at 844-330-2020 or by mail. Census results have an impact on planning and funding for health clinics and highways, fire departments and disaster response, education programs such as Head Start and college tuition assistance, and so much more.

COVID-19 Testing

The Governor and the Office of Inspector General are launching a plan next week to test everyone, both residents and staff in long term care facilities for COVID-19. As we know more about how that affects the residents and team members at the Healthcare Center, we will communicate that information with you. We are also working with the Department of Aging and Independent Living to get guidance on COVID-19 testing for Baunta, Forest View and Friendship Towers. Gov. Beshear is urging Kentuckians to take advantage of expanding coronavirus testing across the state. More information to follow.

Face Mask Fundraiser

Looking for a face mask for you or your family members? Wearing a mask can reduce the chance from spreading the virus to others. Design Link Interiors has been racking their brains on how they can help with COVID-19 and they are selling masks for $10 each, and the best part? The proceeds will go to Sayre Christian Village so we can further our mission of hope, housing, and healthcare for over 375 older adults amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Look at the patterns and purchase yours today!

The next few weeks are going to be tough for us because as Kentucky “opens up”, it also increases the risk of COVID-19 on our campus. Please continue to work hard and do your part, our residents are counting on you!

I hope all the Mothers I have the honor to work with and serve have a great Mother’s Day. We feels it’s a special honor to be caring for Mothers even more so this year than ever before.

“Motherhood is the biggest gamble in the world. It is the glorious life force. It’s huge and scary — it’s an act of infinite optimism.” Gilda Radner

God’s Best,

Karen Venis, CEO

(May 7, 2020) We currently do not have any confirmed or positive COVID-19 cases on our campus.

Testing Residents and Staff in Skilled Nursing

Next week, testing will begin in all skilled nursing facilities across Kentucky. There is currently not a plan to test assisted living and independent living state-wide.

While we don’t know what date our facility will be tested, we know it is based on current ‘hot spots’ in the local area. We are currently preparing on the front end all requirements that the state has asked for and will be ready for the call from either the HealthCare Acquired Infection team from the Division of Epidemiology in the Department for Public Health or from a Representative of Norton Health Care.

The testing team and our team will work together on a testing strategy. Staff will be allowed to work while waiting on test results if they are asymptomatic and we should expect test results to be given 24 to 48 hours after collection.

Ways to Stay in the Loop

We are sure you’ll be looking for test results (so will we), so please make sure you have updated your contact information. If there should be a positive case on campus, we will use the one-call notification system to alert POAs, residents and staff. We will also update the SCV Covid-19 Information Line (859) 899-0831 with the announcement as well, and you can call it 24/7. We will also be frequently updating this website, several times/week with new protocols and plans and guidance, when it is passed on to us.

Thank you for your prayers – we are grateful for them always.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

God’s Best,

Karen Venis, CEO

(May 6, 2020) We currently do not have any confirmed or positive COVID-19 cases on our campus.

Largest Single Day Spike

Tuesday was the largest jump in number, with 625 cases, of which were newly confirmed Tuesday. More than 300 of the positive cases were from testing at Green River Correctional Complex. Unfortunately, Gov. Beshear also reported 14 new deaths Tuesday, raising the state’s toll to 275 deaths related to the virus. Many of those deaths were related to long-term care facilities, the Governor said.

LeadingAge reports that as of 5 p.m. May 4, Gov. Beshear said there were at least 828 residents testing positive for COVID-19 in Long Term Care or Assisted Living across the state. 331 staff tested positive for COVID-19 and 152 people have died due to COVID-19, including two staff persons. This is based on 79 LTC/Assisted Living facilities.

With numbers like those, including a larger number than normal reported for Lexington yesterday, we are continuing to go over education for our staff on PPE and proper usage. There can never be enough review! We constantly review protocols and plan so that we are ready in the event that we have a case on campus.

Mother’s Day Is Around the Corner

Connecting residents like Betsy & her son & daughter-in-law with a window visit gives them HOPE for the future during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our mission at Sayre Christian Village is to provide HOPE, housing & healthcare to older adults. While visitors have to stay out for now, LOVE STILL GETS IN.

Thank you to Mothers and daughters and sons for making that sacrifice this upcoming holiday.

National Nurse Day

We are so proud of the way Team SCV cares for our residents and nurses play such a big role in how we do that. We also honor all the nurses that we have the privilege to care for.

Have you thanked a nurse today? Here is your chance! Click the ‘card’ below and comment on Facebook!

💪 HEROES WORK HERE. 👩🏽‍⚕️ From the bottom of our hearts, thank you to all the nurses that serve at Sayre Christian Village. We are grateful for the godly-care you give to our residents each and every day. 👨‍⚕️#TeamSCV #LoveStillGetsIn #NurseWeek

(May 5, 2020) We currently do not have any confirmed or positive COVID-19 cases on our campus.

#GivingTuesdayNOW

Today is ‘Giving Tuesday NOW,’ a global day of online giving. You may recognize ‘Giving Tuesday’ because it is the day right after Cyber Monday in December when supporters give back to nonprofits after a couple days of heightened online shopping. It’s a wonderful idea and the folks behind the drive decided December was just too far off – the need was NOW, and the #GivingTuesdayNOW campaign began.

Please consider a gift on this international day of giving that will directly benefit older adults in the Bluegrass and further our mission of hope, housing and healthcare.

COVID-19 Testing Guidelines

Skilled Nursing Residents:

While the guidelines are technical in nature, we believe in transparency.

If a skilled nursing resident has a temperature of 99.0 or greater, we will recheck their temperature and document how temperature was obtained (orally, axillary, rectal, or tympanic). Resident will be placed in isolation for and will be tested for COVID-19. Staff will be required to wear appropriate PPE for COVID-19 (N95 mask, face shield, gown, gloves and shoe covers). The resident will remain in isolation for 14 days. On the 13th day resident will be retested for COVID-19 and if negative will be removed from isolation on the 14th day. MD/ARNP should be notified of any change in residents’ status. CEO, Administrator, and Director of Nursing should be notified.

Employees:

Any employee entering the building will be screened and have their temperature checked and given a mask before reporting to work.

Any employee that has a temperature of 99.0 or greater will have their temperature rechecked and the facility will document how the temperature was obtained ((oral, axillary, tympanic etc.). If an employee exhibits more than one COVID-19 symptom (sore throat, cough, SOB, Temperature, diarrhea) along with temperature, the employee will be tested for COVID-19. The Director of Nursing should be notified in the event an employee has a temperature and more than one symptom. The Director of Nursing will notify the Administrator and CEO in the event an employee is tested for COVID-19.

Mother’s Day Parade Rescheduled

Brr! This week looks to be a strange one with colder temps and lots of rain. The forecast is calling for a 70% chance of rain on Friday, so we are rescheduling the Mother’s Day Parade to Monday, May 11th when skies should be sunny again! What could be a better way to kick off National Skilled Nursing Care Week AND celebrate our Mothers, both resident and staff!

God’s Best,

Karen Venis, CEO

(May 1, 2020) We currently do not have any confirmed or positive COVID-19 cases on our campus.

Long-term care facilities continue to be one of the hotspots for the coronavirus in Kentucky, according to the Governor’s briefing yesterday.

Twenty-four new cases were reported among residents, five staff members and two residents died. This brings the totals to 727 residents, 307 staff and 122 deaths, 121 of which were residents. Seventy-four facilities have now reported cases and account for just over half of the deaths in Kentucky.

This is why we must continue to be vigilant. Of course, over the weekend, with the gorgeous weather, folks will get a bit of ‘spring fever.’ We urge you to continue to stay 6 feet apart and follow the the guidelines that are in place for social distancing. These folks below are worth it.

(April 30th, 2020) We currently do not have any confirmed or positive COVID-19 cases on our campus.

We are closing out another month and are grateful that we can say that we remain COVID-19 free. March and April have been so challenging, let’s just say it.

It felt like March came in AND out like a lion. April certainly brought the showers and now let’s really hope for some May flowers.

We definitely feel calmer than we did at the start of this because we have less daily pivots for new regulations. There is a wee bit less whiplash. Of great concern for us is what will come as things start to reopen, so we remain on heightened alert and continue to be vigilant about infection control, education and constant review of protocols.

Mother’s Day Challenge

Let’s change our Facebook profile pictures to our favorite pics of “MOM” or a picture of yourself as a mom. We have a new Facebook frame to honor moms that reside in senior living since they won’t be able to give kisses to their children on Mother’s Day this year. We also honor moms that care for the most vulnerable in senior living.

Window Visits

Family members interested in scheduling a window visitcan do so in advance. Window visits are no simple task and require a lot of work on all fronts – thank you to so many staff members for helping make these go smoothly. If you haven’t done one, we certainly encourage you to! They are really helpful for family members to feel that connection and get the reassurances that everyone is OK. These mamas worry about their children!

God’s Best,

Karen Venis, CEO

(April 29th, 2020) We currently do not have any confirmed or positive COVID-19 cases on our campus.

Be The Light

Matthew 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

We praise God for the fact that we remain COVID-free. Please keep #TeamSCV in your prayers as we continue to give compassionate care to over 375 residents while battling to prevent the virus from entering our campus.

The responsibility is heavy, but we are strengthened by your prayers & community support! Thank you to so many of our supporters that continue to lift us and our residents up.

Stop the Spread…Let Love In

We have some exciting news! The fantastic ladies at Design Link Interiors are partnering with us to raise funds for SCV COVID-19 Relief. They are custom designing masks with designer fabrics that you won’t make you groan to wear!

Head over to their Facebook page and give them a LIKE. You’ll be one of the first to snag the limited edition, custom Design Link Interior designer masks! We are mission driven and community-supported. Thank you for furthering our mission. Stay tuned!

God’s Best,

Karen Venis, CEO

(April 28th, 2020) We currently do not have any confirmed or positive COVID-19 cases on our campus.

Refreshed Life Enrichment Center

We’re looking to the future. We’re excited about the day when our residents are allow to get together in small groups again…and then big groups…and then when our doors can open back up to visitors. To prepare for that, we’re working on refreshing our Life Enrichment Center at the Healthcare Center. It’s separated from the main skilled care wings, so work can go on without disturbing our residents and they’ll be in for a treat when they see the finished product!

Carpet is coming up and matching plank flooring is going down. Beige-gold walls are getting refreshed with a light and bright grey! The space will be inviting and exciting for our residents, team and families! See the difference already – look at the difference between the ceiling and the walls.

Mother’s Day Photos

We’re thinking OUTSIDE the box this year for ways that we can make Mother’s on campus feel special.

We’d love to show off retro or vintage pictures of ‘Mom.’ We know you’re proud of her and she’s proud of YOU. If you’d like Mom to be featured on Facebook in a photo that she would find special, please send to Elise Hinchman, VP of Marketing & Development at ehinchman@sayre.us with a ‘message’ from family for us to post!

Grants for Tablets

CMS is allowing for small CMP grants for nursing facilities to be used for the purchase of communicative devices, such as tablets and web-cams, to increase the ability for nursing homes to help

residents stay connected with loved ones and help residents attend telehealth visits. The money will be limited to purchase one device for every 7 to 10 residents with a maximum of $3,000 per

facility. We have applied for the maximum amount and hope to have an announcement soon!

We are always working on ways to improve communication and we have been ramping up our digital communications over the past month. Please click the infographic and take a look at the different options for rapid communication and changes. If you feel your information needs to be updated so that you receive all these options, please contact sgordon@sayre.us.

God’s Best,

Karen Venis, CEO

(April 27th, 2020) We currently do not have any confirmed or positive COVID-19 cases on our campus.

#TeamSCV

We have worked too hard and now is not the time to let up – it is critical we keep up the hard work! It’s easy to “cheat” but we need to remain committed to the health and safety of our team members and our residents. Show everyone around you that you are doing your part so they can model your great behavior. I’ve never been more proud to serve on this campus.

We will continue to follow the guidelines set out for us by the Governor and CMS, etc…we must remember that this campus is THE MOST vulnerable population, so while the state is phasing into reopening some businesses, the senior population is one thing that the federal and state do agree on. We are to sit tight and bide our time for a wee bit more.

Please DO go outside and get fresh air on beautiful days like today, just be oh so careful not to congregate. Please absolutely set up Window Visits and continue to get that contact that is so important with families.

Blue Willow Farm Horse Visit

Our friends at Blue Willow Farm were on campus with Grace & Reggie to visit with the residents. Can you imagine a more beautiful day for it?

The 2 horses have been laid off since 03/18 and were in great need of some exercise and have lots of free time on their hands (hooves). The residents were all smiles for the friendly and BIG visitors!

Mother’s Day Parking Lot Parade

Don’t forget to mark your calendar for Friday, May 8th at 2:00pm for our Mother’s Day Parking Lot Parade! This will be a fun event for residents, staff and family members. I encourage you to invite your family to come and participate in the parade. My husband and kids are looking forward to it! You can decorate your cars with balloons, signs, streamers, etc. Of course, families will need to stay in the cars at all times so that we are practicing safe social distancing. Please refer to the mapfor the starting position.

Do you know anyone that has a vintage car or belongs to a vintage car club that would like to participate? We’d love to have them join us! Please contact Marcia Martin at mmartin@sayre.us.

Honoring Mom

We didn’t expect to be planning a Mother’s Day Parking Lot Parade instead of a Mother’s Day Tea, but here we are, practicing social distancing, under visitor restrictions, and working toward creating positive, engaging and entertaining ways for our residents to still feel connected.

As much of our attention is focused, rightly so, on critical services like health care, PPE supplies (we spent over $26,000 on PPE at the Healthcare Center alone last month!), and ever-changing guidelines, we want to continue to inspire, encourage, and empower our residents during this precarious time.

We look forward to when our doors will re-open and our programs will resume. Until then, we will prepare to make up for lost time and set a course for the future. We hope that you will join us in making sure that our mission remains sustainable as we navigate this unknown territory with a gift that honors Mom.

We believe in keeping love, joy, and patience flowing – even while engaging in social distancing.

Honoring your Mother with a gift to Sayre Christian Village will bring happiness and light NOW and also allow us to plan for when we can stretch beyond the borders of campus again.

Until then, #LoveStillGetsIn.

God’s Best,

Karen Venis, CEO

(April 23th, 2020) We currently do not have any confirmed or positive COVID-19 cases on our campus.

The rainy weather can not keep our spirits down!

We are feeling energized on campus today with the return of Window Visits! If you have not signed up, give it a look over and pick your day! You’re going to love how easy it is to schedule and you’ll give your loved one something to look forward to!

For Window Visit questions, please reach out to Chaplain Tyler at tgreene@sayre.us and he’ll be glad to walk you through the process of scheduling.

God’s Blessings,

Karen Venis, CEO

(April 22th, 2020) We currently do not have any confirmed or positive COVID-19 cases on our campus.

COVID-19 Relief Facebook Fundraiser

Thanks to all our families, residents, staff and community supporters, the SCV COVID-19 Relief Facebook Fundraiser has raised over $16,ooo! Your generosity has been so touching during the past weeks. We are grateful for the investment you have made in the mission. There is just a little more time before the Fundraiser is over, so if you feel called to donate,your gift would make an impact.

Story Corps…Sayre Christian Village-Style

The residents on campus never cease to amaze me and all the 1:1 visits the Activities teams are doing with residents are uncovering even more interesting and fascinating stories than ever before. We have been featuring some on Facebook, so check back frequently to find stories such as Mary Ann’s wedding dress and many others.

Many residents like to have the comments read to them or read them themselves and get a kick out of folks leaving positive comments. If your loved one likes to ‘show & tell’, let us know and we’ll pay a special visit to document their story in a post or video.

This generation is SPECIAL and sharing the creativity and resilient backgrounds of our dearest is one of VP of Marketing & Development’s favorite things. Contact Elise at ehinchman@sayre.usand let her know a little background information and she’ll do her best to interview, photograph or capture the essence of a favorite family story, a favorite family heirloom, a funny family story that the resident likes to tell (again & again)!

God’s Best,

Karen Venis, CEO

(April 21th, 2020) We currently do not have any confirmed or positive COVID-19 cases on our campus.

LTC COVID-19 Positive Cases in Kentucky

As of last night at 5pm, Governor Beshear announced that there have been 408 residents that have tested positive for COVID-19, 184 staff have tested positive and 59 deaths attributable to COVID-19 have occurred in LTC/Assisted Living facilities. We are so very fortunate to not have a positive case of COVID-19 on our campus and we thank you for all the ways you are helping to keep it at bay.

We are all in this together and the Steele family example shows us just how connected we all become, especially after being in residence for 6 years on campus. Thank you for sharing your insight, Lisa. It’s great to hear from residents, families and team members. This is NOT easy, but we’re in it together.

Window Visit Update

Congratulations on making it through the ’14 Day Healthy at Home Challenge!’ We are so proud of our campus. We credit the hard work of staff, residents and families for working together and being patient.

After the challenge, we reviewed our protocols and guidance and put additional safety measures in place so that we can open these back up!

Residents and staff will wear masks to/from and during window visits to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

We are going to schedule them one hour apart to allow time to transport resident to/from window visit, clean/sanitize location, etc.

Windows/doors must remain closed during the entire visit.

Staff members and residents will need to stay inside the building during the entire visit. Families who wish to drop off goodies/items need to leave those items at the front door so we can properly sanitize them before bringing items into the facility.

Window visits should not have more than 2 family members/friends per visit so that we ensure we are engaging in proper social distancing.

So that everyone has an opportunity to visit, we are asking that family members limit their visits to once/week.

Our goal is to limit movement of residents and staff throughout our buildings, so we encourage virtual visits as well that can be scheduled through activities directors and also social services.

Blue Willow Farm Therapeutic Horse Visit

Blue Willow Farm has contacted us and would like to bring their horses, Moran Mare & Reggie to have window visits with our residents. The 2 horses have been laid off since 03/18 and are in great need of some exercise and have lots of free time on their hands (hooves). They will be volunteering their time and be visiting our campus on Monday, April 27th. We will be visiting all 4 buildings on campus!

God’s Best,

Karen Venis, CEO

(April 20th, 2020) We currently do not have any confirmed or positive COVID-19 cases on our campus.

Mother’s Day Parking Lot Parade

Can you believe this is right around the corner? We anticipate that this holiday will be extremely poignant for you this year. Let’s make sure we mark the occasion with something memorable.

We’ll be hosting a parking lot parade/car parade throughout campus at 2 pm. Dress up your vehicle, make signs and get ready to honk, cheer & wave at your loved one, whether they are staff or resident!

Resident families, please RSVP to Cindy Adwell at (cadwell@sayre.us) or Marcia Martin (mmartin@sayre.us) to let us know that you’ll be joining us that day.

Of course, we ask that all families stay inside their car and we will ensure that we all socially distance during the parade as well.

Window Visits

Congratulations on making it through the ’14 Day Healthy at Home Challenge!’ We are so proud of our campus. We continue to be COVID-19 free and credit the hard work of staff, residents and families for working together and being patient.

As we speak, we’re working on plans to open up limited window visits at all buildings across campus very soon. Of course, everything is subject to change, but right now we’re looking at setting designated locations, designated times & schedules with limitations on how many family members can attend to ensure that we’re still not gathering in groups. Stay tuned for more information because you’ll hear something likely within a day!

Hospital Coordination

As you know, our plan is to transfer a resident to a higher level of care for their safety and for the safety of other residents and staff if we should have a positive case of COVID-19 on campus. We can report that we feel confident in the protocols and relationships we have with our local hospitals and feel certain that transfers will go smoothly and rapidly.

We are appreciative of the collaboration to ensure that our residents get the best care and treatment both at the hospital and at Sayre Christian Village. Praise God that we have made it through yet another weekend without a case on campus.

God’s Best,

Karen Venis, CEO

(April 17th, 2020) We currently do not have any confirmed or positive COVID-19 cases on our campus.

Our Logo is like a Stained Glass Window

The Sayre Christian Village logo represents several things, much like a stained glass window. Our logo represents all four buildings on campus. The cross is front & center to remind us to have Christian compassion in all that we do. Hope, housing & healthcare are the foundation. Hope comes FIRST…for how can you provide housing & healthcare without first providing hope?

#TeamSCV

Team SCV consists of our essential staff, residents and families. We are proud of our team AND residentsand families – they are all working together to prevent the virus from entering the campus. We wore our spirit swag today to celebrate the teamwork and for making it through another week COVID free.

“Sayre has always been a very special place. From the standpoint of a former employee and now resident I can honestly say God has blessed me beyond imagination by placing me here.” — Charlotte Potter, resident

Good Neighbor Spotlight

The donation of face shields means the world to us, our residents & their families. Thanks for checking on your neighbor.

Transparency

We are committed to continuing to be a source of solid information and transparent facts for our residents, team members and families. We know the fear of not-knowing heightens anxiety. We have been aggressive in our measures to keep the virus to date, and promise to continue fight to keep it off campus and promise to share knowledge.

Daily COVID-19/Coronavirus Update Information Line – Sayre Christian Village has set up a dedicated information phone line that will be updated daily with any new information that has changed. If you have a concern or question, you may leave a message and your call will be returned within 24 hours. The direct number is (859) 899-0831 or you may dial our main number and you will be prompted for the hotline: (859) 271 – 9000, dial 9. Messages that are left will be returned within 24 hours.

Website News Tab – Please continue to check our website for updates for changes in protocols or recommendations. (There may not ALWAYS be a weekend update on the website, but there should always be a hotline update).

Social Media – As information changes, we will update the Sayre Christian Village Facebook page.

Have a great weekend and take of yourselves!

God’s Best,

Karen Venis, CEO

(April 16th, 2020) We currently do not have any confirmed or positive COVID-19 cases on our campus.

Healthcare & Housing Warriors

The teams’ hard work continues to pay off! We are blessed to report that we do not have any confirmed or positive COVID-19 cases on our campus! While the measures we have taken may seem to be aggressive and inconvenient, they are necessary and THEY ARE WORKING!! Governor Beshear has reported the following information for nursing homes in Kentucky (as of 5:30pm on 04/15/20):

156 residents in 38 senior living facilities are confirmed positive

137 staff members have tested positive

37 resident deaths, including 1 staff member

OIG Targeted Health Inspection Survey

The Office of Inspector General was onsite on Wednesday, 04/15/2020 to perform a targeted infection control survey for the Healthcare Center. The OIG has previously announced that they will be surveying facilities who don’t have confirmed cases to ensure we are following all guidance to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The surveyor was very pleased with our response and prevention plan and found no deficient practices/policies in place. A special thank you to Donna Maynard, Director of Nursing Services and Ann Reed, Administrator for their efforts to ensure we have a sound plan in place!

COVID-19 Testing

The governor has issued a new executive order requiring long term care facilities to report the following information to the Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) on a daily basis:

Total number of staff and residents tested for COVID-19 each day; and

Daily total of staff and residents whose COVID-19 test results are positive

The intent of this order is so that the CHFS can rapidly identify potential outbreaks. We will update our policy to include this going forward.

Encouraging Residents to Wear Masks

We simply can’t be too safe, and where appropriate, we have encouraged our residents to wear masks if care is being provided or if they are in public/common areas. While there is no regulation mandating this, it can help slow the spread.

“Thankful Thursday” Lunches

Today’s lunch was provided byThe Brown Barrelin Midway, Kentucky and it was delicious! Can you help lift up our small businesses and go to their Facebook page and give them a shout out. Also, feel free to add them to your list of options when you don’t want to cook!

Keep doing your part!

I am so proud of the work that my team is doing to prevent the spread of COVID-19 on our campus! I continue to be humbled by the support we are receiving from our residents, our staff, our donors, our volunteers and our community in general! You have my commitment that we will do everything we can to continue to fight for our team members and residents during these vulnerable times. Hang in there, love one another and continue to lift each other up!

Thank you for your sacrifices. Remember, even in the darkness, love still gets in.

God’s Best,

Karen Venis, CEO

(April 15th, 2020) We currently do not have any confirmed or positive COVID-19 cases on our campus.

The last few days have been tough for other senior living facilities across the state of Kentucky.

Praise the Lord, we don’t have any confirmed cases at Sayre Christian Village, but we are all fighting the same fight – to protect our most vulnerable population.

We are saddened to hear of the passing of the first healthcare worker in Kentucky. She cared for older adults honorably at a long-term care facility in Adair County.

We Pray for our Brothers & Sisters in Senior Living

Last night and going forward, we honor her and other Kentuckians, many of them residents of long-term care facilities, that have died from the virus.

The coronavirus has now made it’s way into 38 facilities. As of today, 256 residents and 137 staff in senior living communities have contracted the virus.

Please continue to keep them and their families in your prayers.

God’s Best,

Karen Venis, CEO

(April 14th, 2020) We currently do not have any confirmed or positive COVID-19 cases on our campus.

Love Thy Neighbor

Help us say THANK YOU to Smashing Tomatofor the incredibly generous donation of tables & chairs to help us refresh out-of-date staff break rooms at the Healthcare Center.

They overheard that a new coat of paint was all that was in the budget due to the COVID-19 crisis & they got right to work in their warehouse! Our Healthcare Heroes will be so appreciative once we can “gather ‘round the tables” again in the remodeled break areas.

ABC36 shared the Good Neighbor story about “one business reaching out to another to meet a need. And they both are saying thank you.” We are blessed to partner with a restaurant that shares many of the same values that we do. In their own time of need, they are reaching out to help the community and they are loving their neighbor!

God’s Best,

Karen Venis

(April 13th, 2020) We currently do not have any confirmed or positive COVID-19 cases on our campus.

I just want to take a moment to lift up our team members who are working this holiday weekend. I appreciate the work that you each do to provide great care to our residents! Thanks for spending your Saturday and Easter Sunday with our residents. You truly went above and beyond to ensure that virtual visits and phone calls that were scheduled in abundance all happened, while also spreading light and love and HOPE.

Happy Easter from the Weekend Staff

Sunday Service is Digital

Chaplain Tyler and our own Lead Housekeeper, Millie Johnson, delivered an Easter message this Sunday again and the video is worth the watch. We are so fortunate to have a full-time chaplain on campus. Good infection control practices mean limiting movement around campus, so our housing residents have not been able to visit in person with Chaplain Tyler as they would like. He is making himself available to them digitally via phone call, virtual visit and also through new Sunday sermons that we’ll air on Facebook and YouTube.

Thank you for the ways in which you continue to show your support. We were blown away by the positive messages of “we’re in this together” from families and residents alike after the WTVQ news story aired late last week. We are battling for your loved one, but to a person, I believe we all feel that you’re right there with us. We’re tired, you’re tired. You’re anxious, we’re anxious. But, together, with God’s help, we’re going to come out the other side stronger. Our team is proud to serve!

God’s Best,

Karen Venis, CEO

(April 10th, 2020) We currently do not have any confirmed or positive COVID-19 cases on our campus.

During Governor Beshear’s nightly address yesterday, he spoke about how he is proud of the faith community. He said that we have to be wary of folks dropping the social distancing guidance due to the holidays because it risks those that didn’t make that choice.

“I have never been as sure of anything in my faith as I am in this: We must protect each other,” Gov. Beshear said. He said now is not the time to make an exception on social distancing. “Let’s make sure we do even better this weekend than we did last weekend…. We are in a test of our humanity,” Gov. Beshear said. “And you are passing it. But here’s the challenge: We have to pass it every day, we have to pass it every hour of every day.”

Thank you to our Baunta, Forest View, and Friendship Towers Residents

It is the same with our congregate living situation. We are thinking very much of our fantastic residents on the housing side of campus. They are doing a great job of staying healthy at home and we are thankful for their sacrifice that can save their own lives, and the lives of their neighbors.

Let US do the heavy lifting for you.

We intend to hold the hand of our housing residents through these uncertain times.

Questions about groceries & supplies? We can help.

Don’t know how to communicate via video chat? We’ll set you up!

Not sure when Bauta Café is serving? We’ll assist.

Concerned about your medications? You just call us.

Telehealth? What’s that? We’ll get it sorted.

Housing Contact List for Resources & Assistance (859) 271 – 9000

Think of us as your concierge. Families, residents, please don’t hesitate to ask.

Good Friday Communion

Chaplain Tyler, Sara Beth Floyd and our team will be passing individually packaged communion wafers and juice to our residents today so that they may partake if they wish. Chaplain Tyler will also be leading an Easter service that will air on our Facebook page at 10 am on Sunday. We encourage you to watch for a message of HOPE.

Thank You

We can’t express in one paragraph all the ways that our community is ‘remembering us.’ We have recently received a donation of 100 face shields from Monster Color, more hand sewn face masks from Sharron Lanham, support from friend of SCV, former MLB star Doug Flynn, and many more gifts of love shown to us! Thank you to everyone reaching out with messages of courage and stamina for our team!

God’s Best,

Karen Venis, CEO

(April 9th, 2020) We currently do not have any confirmed or positive COVID-19 cases on our campus.

We are All in This Together

Governor Beshear announced yesterday there are 1346 positive cases of COVID-19 in Kentucky and that there have been 73 deaths.

The Governor is starting to increase focus placed on Long Term Care Facilities because there are 25 facilities that have confirmed cases of COVID-19. 72 residents and 35 staff have tested positive, with 13 deaths to complications. Please keep these other facilities in your prayers as we are All in This Together!

Heroes at Work Program

As you know, we value our team members very much! They are fighting the good fight in this COVID-19 battle. We had implemented a COVID-19 Employee Stimulus to help them during the first weeks of anxiety. This program will now be replaced with our new Heroes at Work Program starting Sunday, April 12th. Through this program, all staff will receive an additional $7 per hour worked, replacing the $2 per hour stimulus. This is a temporary program in response to the pandemic and available due to the Payment Protection Plan that Sayre Christian Village has applied for. This grant has the potential to give an employee an additional $1120 a month for 80 hours worked during this stressful time. We sure can’t do what we do without our amazing team and we’re grateful to be able to reward them for their great service. I know that they are all anxious during this time and we just ask that you lift them up in your prayers tonight.

Easter Service

Chaplain Tyler has prepared an Easter Service for our team, residents and family members. A message of HOPE is just what we need at this time in our lives. Please follow us on Facebook to view the video that will air on Sunday morning.

Please keep us in our prayers. We know you are as we are celebrating the Heroes at Work program win for our hardworking team members today. Thank you for all your support and encouragement.

God’s Best,

Karen Venis, CEO

(April 8th, 2020) We currently do not have any confirmed or positive COVID-19 cases on our campus.

Thank you for all the love, prayers and support. We have needed it all! WKYT was on campus today to talk to us about new guidance that came out overnight and also about our ability to stay COVID-19 free on a campus so large.

We continue to have to make difficult decisions for the welfare of our residents and staff as the cases of coronavirus in the state of Kentucky are on the rise. While the decisions we had to make about further healthy at home measures won’t be popular around the Easter holiday, they will be evaluated after two weeks. We are doing our part and listening to the Governor’s advice.

14-day “Healthy at Home Challenge”

The next 2 weeks will be absolutely critical to slow the spread of the coronavirus and we are notifying all residents that if they leave the campus for any reason that is not medically necessary, that they will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days upon their return OR they won’t be permitted to return until the visitor restrictions are lifted. This aggressive measure, while inconvenient will primarily affect the residents who live at Friendship Towers, Baunta Apartments and Forest View Apartments. This measure is based on guidance from our regulatory agencies and is specific guidance for congregate living settings, such as ours.

Additionally, we have made the decision to suspend window visits for family members for the next 14 days. Governor Beshear is asking all Kentuckians to stay “healthy at home” and have strict compliance with his recommendations which include NOT leaving home unless you have to go to work, get groceries or seek medical care. Unfortunately, window visits for families/residents aren’t included in this list and we are asking our families members to make difficult sacrifices as well to help prevent the spread of the Coronavirus. Chaplain Tyler will be increasing the amount of virtual visits for our residents and families as a way to fill the gap.

The 14-day challenge will be difficult because of cabin fever, the beautiful weather and Easter season but this challenge is absolutely necessary to save lives.

All admissions to Sayre Healthcare Center will be placed in isolation in our palliative suites for 7 days and will be re-evaluated after 7 days. We are using the same set of staff to work in palliative for anyone that is on isolation precautions and the appropriate PPE will be used.

(April 7th, 2020) We currently do not have any confirmed or positive COVID-19 cases on our campus – and that is a blessing, an answer to prayers but most importantly a result of the hard work we are doing on our campus! I am SO proud of our teams’ efforts and our commitment to maintain a safe and healthy campus!

Governor Beshear has reported the following information for nursing homes in Kentucky (as of 5:30pm on 04/07/20):

55 residents in 21 long-term care facilities are confirmed positive

22 staff members have tested positive

11 resident deaths

We are ready to react quickly and swiftly in the event that we do have a positive case in the future. Below is some new information/updates and additional measures we are taking:

Meals for Staff

I appreciate the efforts of our dietary/dining services staff. They are not only feeding 375 residents every day, sometimes 2 and 3 times per day, but have now been tasked with feeding staff every day/every shift. I’d like to give our dietary/dining services staff a break so moving forward – Thursdays and every other Saturday, we will be catering a take-out meal from one of our local businesses. I’m requesting that any employee who has an office, to eat meals in their office, rather than congregating with other staff.

Friendship Towers Construction

The construction project to expand Friendship Towers is still underway. As a matter of caution, we are requiring that The Hayden Company (our construction company) conduct health screenings on their employees and contractors as well. Right now, our targeted completion date for this expansion is late summer.

Congregate Activities

Because our population is the most vulnerable and we are in a congregate living setting, all congregate activities must be suspended. This includes any gathering of 2 or more residents – visits on the porch, outside, etc. Our activities department has done a fantastic job and have pivoted quickly every single time we have made a change. They are already on top of this initiative and are working hard to be creative with activities.

Going Green

On Monday, April 13th we will be lighting up our campus in green at night to reflect our sorrow of the lives lost to the COVID-19 fight. The light will remind us of our commitment to push on and keep fighting for Kentuckians. The color green is a symbol for compassion and we want to do our part to show our community that we care.

COVID-19 Fundraiser

If you are interested in purchasing the “COVID-19 Hair, Don’t Care” hats, the “To care for those who once cared for us is the highest honor” t-shirts or the hand painted “Team Kentucky” Barrel staves, please contact ehinchman@sayre.us. Each can be purchased for just $25 and ALL proceeds to our COVID-19 fundraiser to help us continue our fight against the Coronavirus.

Keep up the great work everyone! If everyone does their part, we will certainly come out stronger on the other side. We will get through this and we will get through it together. Remember that when times are tough and sometimes dark, love still gets in. #LoveStillGetsIn

God’s Best,

Karen Venis, CEO

(April 6th, 2020) As of 2 pm on Monday, we do not have any confirmed cases of COVID-19 and continue to take aggressive measures to prevent the coronvirus on campus.

We start the week off with SUNSHINE and we’re loving it. We have gorgeous courtyards here at the Healthcare Center and 27 acres total of beautiful grounds for the residents and staff to enjoy.

We continue to shift our internal processes to be even more aggressive as the positive cases in Kentucky increase.

Employee Health Screening – We will also be revising the screening form to add a question “Do you work in other place that has confirmed COVID-19?”

Changes to Admission Process – going forward, all admissions will go to Palliative Suites first for 7 days and either come to our facility with a negative COVID test already or be tested on admission before being placed in general population

Staff meals – kitchen will continue to provide bagged lunches for staff. We are so thankful for the extra work they have taken on gracefully!

Breaks/Lunches – I will be asking all employees who have an office to eat their meals in their offices even if the option to eat in a group/social distance is available.

Friendship Towers Expansion – We are requiring Hayden Company employees, contractors and subcontractors to have a health screening every day before going to work and also requiring they wear masks since most of the work is inside/under roof at this time. Their employees do not come into our existing buildings or share areas with residents.

Amazon Wish List

So many of you have reached out to ask how you can help. We are extremely grateful for community support at this time and thank you for reaching out. Donations for our COVID-19 Relief Fundare so appreciated. Our mission of hope, housing & healthcare is contingent on supporters like yourself.

We continue to be so grateful for not only our amazing Healthcare & Housing Heroes, but also to our resilient residents and fierce families. We’re all in this together.

God’s Best,

Karen Venis, CEO

(April 3, 2020) As of 3 pm on Friday, we do not have any confirmed cases of COVID-19 and continue take aggressive measures to prevent the coronavirus on campus.

We had already put many of the stronger recommendations from the CDC and CMS into place before they were announced last night.

We continue to comply with all CMS and CDC guidance related to infection control.

We had already implemented symptom screening for all staff/residents – including temperature checks early in March.

We are using appropriate PPE when our team is are interacting with patients and residents, to the extent PPE is available and per CDC guidance on conservation of PPE.

To avoid transmission within a skilled nursing facility, we are using separate staffing teams for residents to the best of our ability. We have designated a separate unit to separate COVID-19 negative residents from COVID-19 positive residents and individuals with unknown COVID-19 status. We have already identified that our Palliative Suites wing will be used for COVID-19 positive or pending residents, while they wait for transfer to a higher level of care.

We have also asked our team NOT to travel outside the state, as they would have to comply with a 14 day quarantine upon re-entry.

Admission/Readmission Policy

Policy

It is our goal to to maintain and protect the health and well-being of our staff, residents and our community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Purpose

Our plan for admission/readmission to the healthcare facility

Residents will be screened through our referral process to determine their healthcare status

Approval for admissions will be determined by the Administration staff (Administrator, Director of Nursing or Assistant Director of Nursing)

Resident will be placed in Private room and be placed in contact isolation for at least 7 days. ( If resident continues to develop no respiratory symptoms then the resident will be discontinued from contact precautions)

(UPDATE) All admissions will go to palliative suites first for 7 days and either come with a negative COVID test or be tested on admission before being placed in general population.

Presumed positive COVID-19

If a resident shows any signs/symptoms that they may have COVID-19 such as (fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath etc.) the resident will be placed in contact isolation, the MD/ARNP will be notified for further direction. Staff will follow Center for Diisease and Control and Kentucky Department of Healthcare guidelines.

Message to Our Campus Residents

I want to leave with you a message that Chaplain Tyler recorded for our residents across campus. He has not had interaction, except from afar, with housing residents to keep movement between buildings to a minimum for the safety of all. He wanted to share that we’re not stuck at home, but safe at home. They will enjoy seeing his face for sure!

We can do big things…we can do hard things…but we can’t do anything without God’s help and our TEAM.

We are so fortunate to have a great team protecting our residents, doing extra tasks, cross-training on new duties, and ensuring that we continue our mission of Godly-care to older adults in the Bluegrass.

God’s Best,

Karen Venis, CEO

(April 1, 2020) March was…LONG.

Thank YOU for helping us get through it. We put together some clips from the last 31 days to celebrate. It seems strange to look back & see folks sitting together or standing close without masks, doesn’t it?

“We’re going to get through this together.” We are asking our COVID-19 Relief https://bit.ly/33lGPXP Donations over $25 get their choice of hat or t-shirt, while supplies last!

(March 31, 2020) Last night, Governor Andy Beshear issued an executive order limiting out of state travel for Kentucky residents. We are asking that all staff limit out-of-state travel at this time. In fact, I have asked my team to be in one of two places over the coming weeks – here or at home.

Out of State Travel & Window Visits

We are trying to be extra cautious, especially since now tonight the Governor has said he is deliberating whether to institute a 14 day quarantine for anyone crossing into Kentucky. We will continue to review our guidance daily, sometimes two to three times a day. At this time, we ask you not to cross state lines to do a window visit.

We understand the hardship this visitor restriction is on everyone and appreciate the abundance of caution, concern, patience…AND LOVE for our team that we have seen these past weeks from family members. ‘We will get through this together.’

Thank you for doing your part! “With faith the size of a mustard seed, nothing is impossible.” Matthew 17:20

God’s Best,

Karen L. Venis

(March 30, 2020) I like to start off with thanking our employees again. Thank you for doing your part to keep yourselves and our residents healthy and safe – we do not currently have any suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19 on our campus.

We have taken aggressive measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and will continue to act in an abundance of caution to protect you and our residents. Below are the new measures we are announcing to mitigate our risk – some are new steps and some are current practices we are revising and/or tightening up.

Infection Prevention Strategies

We have been blessed with donations of hand-sewn masks and will offer them as an option to employees. Beginning Tuesday March 31st, employees at SHC can pick up a clean cloth mask at the front desk when you have your temperature taken. We will wash & sanitize them here at the facility. They will NOT take them home. Of course, we will also provide the option for the disposable masks as well – we are simply trying to ensure we maintain an adequate supply of PPE on our campus. All employees are still required to wear a mask at all times while at work until further notice. Of course, it’s always good to remember that the best thing you can do to prevent the spread of the coronavirus is to WASH YOUR HANDS. All employees are asked to wash their hands after their health screening at the beginning of each shift and every single chance they get afterwards, certainly before and after providing care to our residents.

One-Call Notification System

We have created a One-Call Notification system for emergency situations. Our intent is to utilize this system for campus wide notifications that are time-sensitive. We will be using the numbers we have on file currently for this new system. If you need to update your contact information, please send your name and phone number (indicate if cell or landline) to Alice Greene if your loved one is at the Sayre Healthcare Center, Angela Goodlett at Friendship Towers and LeeAnn Peach at Forest View and Baunta Apartments so that we might update our records.

Social Distancing

Please ensure that you are practicing social distancing in as many settings as we can – please do your part to protect yourself, your family and residents. President Trump has extended social distancing guidelines until April 30th to slow the spread of the coronavirus. We will continue to adhere to those guidelines on our campus.

Virtual and Window Visits

At this time, we are still providing virtual and window visits for residents at SHC and Friendship Towers. However, the window visits cannot occur at the resident’s room window due to HIPPA reasons. Many residents live with a roommate. Additionally, if the windows are open, germs can be spread to individuals visiting together. We can provide a secure location and scheduled time for you to meet with your loved one safely. Please direct family members to contact Tyler Greene at tgreene@sayre.us or at 404-358-6931 to schedule a window visit.

We encourage you to shift toward Virtual Visits as the Governor is really making a push to stay #healthyathome.

Healthy at Home Initiative

We all have an obligation to do our part and one of the best ways you can help is to minimize your contact with the general public. We are asking our staff to please stay at home when not working at Sayre. Encourage your friends and family to stay at home as well. The next couple of weeks will be critical and we have to do our part to slow the spread. My car has been 2 places in the past 4 weeks – my home and my work. While this is tough because my kids are used to being on the go plus the warmer temperatures, it is absolutely necessary. Please encourage your family, your kids, your friends to do their part to keep you and our residents healthy.

Resource Guide

We have distributed a resource guide to our housing residents with some helpful tips, including how to order groceries for delivery. At any time, should a resident need help with the ordering process or if in fact, they can’t get deliveries, we will be there every step of the way. Just reach out to our team.

We Are Hiring

Can you help us spread the word? If you are on Facebook, “like” and “share” our content! Here is the link to our latest ad that you can share with your social network. We will begin holding virtual orientations for our new hires, again to mitigate the risk of exposure.

The Greater the Storm…

The greater the storm, the brighter the rainbow. Help us shine bright this week by wearing the following from Monday, 03/30 through Sunday, 04/05:

Monday – Red

Tuesday – Orange

Wednesday – Yellow

Thursday – Green

Friday – Royal Blue

Saturday – Navy

Sunday – Purple

“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.” 1 Corinthians 16:13

God’s Best,

Karen L. Venis

(March 26, 2020) We are feeling the good, sunny weather shine down on us and it has lifted our spirits. It has been a BUSY couple days on our campus celebrating our residents in different ways and we are feeling the love from our community.

First, we want to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Geraldine Hill! Geraldine turned 105 today and celebrated with a window visit with her daughter Pam…and several thousand of her friends! Special thank you to Mayor Gordon for making March 26, 2020 Geraldine Hill Day in Lexington, KY. Geraldine was asking for LIKES on her picture on Facebook and currently has over 10,000 (and counting) on the original post. You can watch the full story on this WKYT news story.

Scheduling Window Visits

We understand it is hard to not be able to see and visit with your loved ones. We do encourage virtual visits as well as window visits. However, the window visits cannot occur at the resident’s room window due to HIPPA reasons. Many residents live with a roommate.

Additionally, if the windows are open, germs can be spread to individuals visiting together. We can provide a secure location and scheduled time for you to meet with your loved one safely. If you would like to schedule a window visit, please contact Tyler Greene at tgreene@sayre.us or at 404-358-6931. We appreciate your understanding and patience during this very stressful time for everyone. We thank you for trusting us with your loved ones and will continue to do everything possible to keep them all safe.

Gratefully,

Karen Venis, CEO

(March 25, 2020) Thank you for continuing to doing your part to keep yourselves and your loved ones healthy and safe – I appreciate the sacrifices all are making every day as we do our best to mitigate the spread of the Coronavirus.

Social Distancing

The current guidance for our community is that we limit gatherings to groups of less than 10 people AND that we practice social distancing in as many settings as we can. Please know that social distancing applies to all of our break rooms, meeting spaces and our screening stations for employees, as well as residents. We have placed bright orange tape at our screening stations as a physical cue for the 6 foot distance requirement. Please also remember that social distancing is not social isolation, we are simply as a society having to change the way we interact with others. Our activities departments, social services teams, clinical team, chaplain and other staff are working hard to create new activities for our residents that keep them safe and entertained.

Infection Prevention Strategies

As a precaution, all employees on campus will be required to wear a facemask while at work until further notice. Facemasks will be available at each of our screening stations for employees to pick up at the beginning of each shift/day. Masks will be disposed of at the end of the day. Like many other healthcare facilities, our quantity is limited so we are asking that employees use one facemask/day unless directed otherwise by a care plan or Donna Maynard, Director of Nursing Services. We have several supporters in our community that are busy making hand-sewn masks and will update our communication/procedures when we have an adequate supply for staff to use. The masks are required to be worn at anytime we are interacting with a resident or a co-worker.

Your Mental Health

Today, we enjoyed the sunshine and also some good social distancing…while letting the love still get in.

This is certainly a vulnerable time for all of us and I appreciate every one of team members that risk their health every single day when they come to work. Please know that we are looking to turn over every stone to ensure we take every single precaution to protect your health and our residents’ health, too. Everyone, please take time from your day to pray, get some exercise, get some fresh air, laugh with friends and family – we all still need those moments. Keep your kids and you on a schedule, be intentional when you get home and use technology to connect with your loved ones. Be present and give your phone screen a break! Feel free to lean on Tyler Greene, our Chaplain if you are looking for spiritual guidance or simply need someone to talk to. Ask questions and keep on doing your part so we can get through this.

Philippians 4:13 says “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength”. This is my go-to verse right now and of course, the daily dose of Gov. Beshear briefings with a reminder “that together, we will get through this.”

God’s Best,

Karen Venis, CEO

(March 24, 2020) We are so proud of our residents…they continue to take this crisis in stride. For example, several at Friendship Towers have been involved in ‘Tech Corner’ activities to learn new skills like how to order grocery delivery and also how to do virtual visits themselves via FaceTime, etc. Several have donated to our COVID-19 Relief Facebook fundraiserand all are keeping each other in good spirits. They are making sure our team knows that the staff is appreciated. We are honored to care for these residents that we consider family.

Dropping off Supplies or Donations

We are putting some new steps in place when we receive donations, such as handmade masks, PPE and boxes, etc. If you are delivering a package, you’ll be asked to leave the package. After you drive off, we will then step outside to retrieve the package with gloves and mask on. We will follow CDC guidelines to ensure proper safety measures. Handmade masks will be washed on a sanitize mode before used.

We do love that we have had offers for home-baked goods. Unfortunately at this time, we can not accept anything except food from a commercial kitchen.

Keeping Our Staff & Residents Safe

Do not be alarmed if you see our team in masks. We are doing our part to keep residents safe and since we are coming and going, we feel it’s important to wear masks. There is no need for residents to wear masks at this time, as they have not (for the most part), been anywhere for the past 14 days. We will wear disposable masks until a time when we have enough handmade masks to wear. At that time, we’ll transition to the handmade masks and reserve disposable masks for when there is a need. When we begin wearing the cloth masks, we will drop them in a bin each night to be sanitized nightly by our laundry team and pick up fresh in the morning.

Communication

Don’t forget, we can help you set up a virtual visit or a window visit. Our residents love to see your faces!

As you know, transparency continues to be very important to me. We want to make sure that we’re able to communicate with you at all times. Do we have the best number on hand for you? If you are a POA or family member contact and your information has changed, email or phone, please contact Alice Greene if your loved one is at the Sayre Healthcare Center, Angela Goodlett at Friendship Towers and LeeAnn Peach at Forest View and Baunta Apartments so that we might update our records.

God’s Best,

Karen Venis, CEO

(March 23, 2020) As we start another week under our COVID-19 response plan, I’m thankful for the outpouring of prayers and support from our staff, residents, family members and our wonderful community! I think of how many individuals in our community who are facing sudden job loss and the unknown of our future and I’m SO thankful that while what we do is hard, I praise the Lord that I still have a job. I couldn’t imagine the thought of having the burden of worrying about not having a job and my financial future among all of the other things our society is worried about today, and our hearts go out to our local community.

We don’t have any positive cases of COVID-19 on our campus and we are battling hard to keep it that way.

Staff Stays On Campus

Last week, we asked our employees stay on campus during the entire course of their shift. Of course, we want you to sleep in your own bed, but we do ask that when you come to work, you stay at work for the duration of your shift. The goal is to minimize our interaction with the general public as much as possible. We will be providing meals for our staff while they are working. We have been blessed by a few supporters that have stepped up and catered a meal for our team on a couple days. We appreciate you! I love our community.

Keeping our Staff & Residents Safe

We have increased our screening process for end of life visitors, for vendors who deliver essential medical services/supplies as well service providers. They are required to wear PPE anytime they are in our buildings as well as provide us with the COVID-19 plan they are following.

We are also screening all employees to determine other places of employment, specifically those who have secondary jobs in healthcare.

COVID-19 Fundraiser

We are continuing our efforts to raise money to offset the unexpected expenses we are incurring for additional cleaning supplies, PPE and the Employee Stimulus Pay plan to name a few. Please use your voice for good and share with your community and friends when they ask “how can I help”

In Closing

I appreciate the work that our employees are doing, working as hard as they can, being as vigilant as they can. We are all in this together and we ARE going to make it through this!

Please be a prayer warrior – pray for each other, our residents, our government leaders and our community.

Blessings to each of you,

Karen Venis, CEO

(March 19, 2020) We’ve almost made it through the week and the sun is trying to shine today. I’m encouraged that warmer weather IS coming and residents will be able to take strolls around the grounds again soon. This beautiful 27 acre campus truly is stunning in the spring when everything turns green and begins to bloom.

Off Campus

The newest daily ‘pivot’ is the change to how our residents come and go from buildings. The recommendation has come through that Long Term Care, including Assisted Living Facilities and Congregate Independent Living will no longer be allowed to leave facilities for things like shopping trips, banking, lunch off-site, etc.

As we work to adhere to their guidelines, please let us know if you need our help coordinating groceries, supplies and of course, virtual visits. We will work together to make it happen. Of course, residents will still be able to walk around outside, as long as social distancing remains in place. The guidance is to protect them further from COVID-19.

Outpatient Therapy

Outpatient Therapy at Sayre Christian Village will be halted for 14 days. Aegis has communicated with patients to ensure they can be making the most of their time while not making on-site visits. Residents that have therapeutic needs will still receive those, as they are considered essential.

Personal Protection Equipment Delivery

We know that many of you have been following the news and know of the shortage of personal protection equipment (PPE) in this country. We are excited to hear that a shipment has come in today and the Health Department is coordinating a delivery as we speak of more masks, gloves, etc. Praise God!

Keeping our Staff & Residents Safe

Our Medical Director, Dr. Richard, can now order a COVID-19 test for anyone that suspects they have been exposed to the coronavirus. That test will be returned within 24 hours, and if negative, the team member will be allowed to work again. Again, we are grateful for things like availability to tests, especially fast ones.

Healthcare is Essential and Not Exempt

Because we are a healthcare campus, our entire staff is considered essential to the healthcare mission. We are truly one campus, one mission in that respect. We are reviewing our plans and protocols for employee safety as our team members are the heart of Sayre Christian Village. Thank you to community members for stepping up to show your support of their hard work. Even as we speak, we have organizations, businesses and supporters signing up to have morale lifting lunches delivered to our warriors and donations of everything from adult coloring books to Chromebooks for virtual visits. I love our community.

In fact, just yesterday, former MLB player, host of Kentucky Life – KET, and local hometown hero, Doug Flynn met with me to talk about his ‘window visit’ with his father and to lend his voice in support of the mission of our healthcare heroes protecting our Greatest Generation.

Please consider donating to our the Sayre Christian Village COVID-19 Relief fund while I’m matching donations up to $2500! Our residents and team are so worth it.

While this COVID-19 state visitor restriction is in place, we’re searching for the good. Today, we found our little ‘pot of gold’ at the end of the rainbow. Our resident and her family let us film their ‘visitor victory’ to help us shine a light on the good. Love still gets in. There is victory in the end.

At Sayre Christian Village, we know how lucky we are to witness love between family members daily, but we feel even luckier during this crisis. We get to help reconnect some family members. Family members from across the country that might never have thought to FaceTime ‘Aunt Louise’ (because they didn’t think she’d be able to do it or know what it was, etc) are getting the chance to now as the visitor restriction has made ‘virtual visits’ commonplace.

Our residents at Friendship Towers Assisted & Independent Living participated in a tech class yesterday where they learned how to video chat on their own and also learned some general information about their smart phones. (To be honest, I should have sat in on that class!)

I hope you’re finding the ‘pot of gold’ at the end of a rainbow today too. We can help to set up a ‘visitor victory’ window chat or a ‘virtual visit’ by video chat. Please read through our information below to ways to connect with your loved one.

We know you are going through uncharted territory, just like us. Please know that you are in our hearts, minds and prayers. We are battling this COVID-19 crisis with you and rejoice with you too when there are small victories like the one in the video above.

#V4VisitorVictory #LoveStillGetsIn

With gratitude,

Karen Venis, CEO

(March 16, 2020) We continue to pivot after the announcements from the President over the weekend and also Governor Beshear today.

As you may know, Governor Andy Beshear announced this morning that all restaurants and bars in Kentucky will close and only be permitted to provide delivery or carry-out options for food service. He also continues to issue recommendation that we all practice social distancing, regardless if we are in the “at risk” category or not. Social distancing means 6 feet between you and your neighbor. Additionally, CMS issued guidance late Friday evening that community gatherings in senior living settings have to be suspended until further notice.

Here is our plan (for now):

We Can Help With Temporary Job Loss

Unfortunately, there are SO many individuals in our community who are without a job/income suddenly as a result of the coronavirus. The Governor has asked us all to be good neighbors. We are hiring for temporary AND permanent positions. We need help and we have people in our community who need to work. We will be creative with interviews by using Facetime, Skype, off-site interviews, etc. Please help us the word that we can use the extra hands, even if it is only temporarily, until they can return to their regular jobs.

Meal Services

Dining services at Baunta Café and Friendship Towers will be suspended until further notice. We will follow Gov. Beshear’s directive and provide only carry-out or delivery services. We will be utilizing our dining services staff to help us rather than cutting their hours.

Sayre Healthcare Center has modified meal service so that residents are dining in their rooms and not in the café/dining room. Meal service at the healthcare center will not be held in the main dining room or the café until further notice. Residents on Unit 1 and Unit 2 will have meals provided to them in their rooms. Residents on Unit 3 and Unit 4 will still utilize their dining areas but with social distancing practices in place. This creates a hardship for our nursing staff and we will be assigning non-nursing employees to assist with our meal services

Beauty Shop

Our Beauty Shops at Baunta, Forest View and Sayre Healthcare Center will be closed until further notice. We are working on some creative alternatives for our residents. Perhaps we get hats that say “COVID-19 hair, don’t care”!

Social Gatherings

We are going to follow CMS guidelines relative to social gatherings and all communal gatherings on our campus will be canceled until further notice. Our awesome activities team is working on individual activities for our residents and we will call on other employees to help us make these happen.

Visitor Restrictions

We have received additional guidance related to visitors and are reviewing that guidance to ensure we are in compliance. We are no longer permitted to have private sitters or any non-medical visitors, unless a resident is receiving end-of-life care. We are identifying any staff that work for other facilities and agencies. Essentially, the goal is that health care workers (mostly our PRN staff) aren’t working all over town – of course, minimize the risk of exposure is the common goal here.

Social Media

We have created a fundraiser to offset the expenses for the stimulus pay, extra supplies, etc and have raised over $10,000 (via Facebook & online donations) since FRIDAY! That is fantastic news and we need to keep our momentum strong! Use your voice and help spread the word that we need prayers and donations now more than ever!

Support Small Business

While this is hard work, I’m thankful to have a job right now and couldn’t imagine the financial stress so many of our neighbors, small businesses, etc are under! Help your neighbor by picking up carry-out for lunch or dinner! That is my plan because the last thing I can think about right now is cooking!

(March 13, 2020) “To care for those that once cared for us is the highest honor.”

Governor Beshear recommended school closures for the next two weeks, and we will take more direction from his leadership. The visitor restriction will remain in place until March 29th and be re-evaluated. I’d like to commend our staff and you for keeping things as ‘normal as possible’ for residents by remaining light-hearted and upbeat with them. We’d like their day to run as normally as possible for them, which means stepping up ways for you to communicate.

Virtual Visit Update

Yesterday, we held a meeting with leadership, activities, social services and other key positions to be strategic in how we can expand ‘virtual visits’ even further. We set up permanent stations in the Sayre Healthcare Center as Virtual Visit Kiosks for video calls during activities. We also made the decision to purchase more tablets so that we may take the larger screens directly to resident rooms and over to the housing side at Baunta, Forest View and Friendship Towers apartments. We strategized more ways to communicate, opening it up to Google Duo, IN2L, FaceTime, Facebook Messenger Chat, Marco Polo and recorded videos.

We also plan to give you a ‘peek’ at life LIVE at Sayre Christian Village more frequently, so please check in on the Facebook page. You might see your loved one giving you a shout out!

Social Distancing

We do not plan to slow any spiritual services, in fact, we’re adding more in. We’re adding more prayer groups, like praying in color, a unique platform where residents color with colored pencils in adult coloring books. When they feel the need to pray for something, they just ask out loud, “Can you please pray for my Grandson, Tommy? He’s going through a rough patch.” Another resident then repeats the prayer request as they continue coloring. It is very therapeutic, calming and prayer works!

While we’re also not canceling Bible Studies and Church Services, we ARE changing the format. We are going to be moving from the smaller chapel to larger open spaces, like the Life Enrichment Center. Chairs will have to be spread much farther apart. In fact, all group activities at the Healthcare Center will be in larger areas like the large dining room or the Life Enrichment Center instead of dayrooms, etc, so that social distancing can be followed. All activities across campus where more than a couple are gathering will be asked to spread out and observe social distancing.

In addition, no outside volunteers or external church staff will be allowed in due to the visitor restriction, so Chaplain Tyler will be leading all services. Because Chaplain Tyler is full-time, he is already here daily and does not pose an additional risk to our residents.

How Can You Help?

We are asking for donations.Your donations can have a direct impact TODAY as we navigate these new issues daily. Your donations will help us offset the cost of paying our team members more/hour as a COVID-19 Employee Stimulus Plan during this crisis. They are all critical workers, healthcare or not, that are working to give your loved one the best care. We recognize the hardship on them as they are quickly searching for childcare.

In addition to increased stimulus pay for staff, donations would also go to directly to:

Bleach

Hand Sanitizer

Masks

Clorox Wipes

5 Additional Tablets for Virtual Visits

Roku Stick for programming like travel shows, particular movies, etc that will help the Activities Teams with activities as they are without volunteers and performers. (TV is NEVER used as just blank screentime. It would be used as an additional tool in an engaged activity that is building off what is shown on the program or app.)

Please remember us during this COVID-19 visitor restriction and consider a donation. If you know a business or organization that can help with an in-kind or matching donation, please reach out to Elise Hinchman at ehinchman@sayre.us. Continue to keep us in your prayers as we need wisdom for all the changes that are unveiled daily.

With gratitude,

Karen Venis, CEO

(March 12, 2020) Thank you for the prayers for our Sayre Christian Village residents and team. “I sought the Lord and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.” PSALM 34:4

According to Governor Beshear’s recommendations, we are canceling events farther into this month that involve the public, families or performances. Events like the Remembrance Event, one of the special events that we hold for families three times a year to honor loved ones that have passed at SCV, will be rescheduled at a later date.

Virtual Visits

Residents have already started ‘virtual visits’ with family and friends via Skype, FaceTime or Google Duo. We would love to facilitate a ‘visit’ with your loved one as well. Please reach out to the corresponding Activities Team so that they might schedule a time. While we pivot and get more iPads, laptops, etc set up for these reasons, it might be a bit before the Activities Teams respond to your initial email because without volunteers and scheduled performers, they are absorbing more so that the residents don’t feel like there is less to do.

We’ll have more on this to come soon as we work to streamline this. The ‘visits’ mean a lot to the residents, just as recorded videos that are emailed to our team do too. Remember, videos can be shown over and over. You know we like to watch our own favorite clips of family videos on our phones on repeat; they will enjoy seeing yours as well.

Feeling Like Your Hands Are Tied?

If you’re asking what you can do, please consider helping this nonprofit with our Mission to provide Hope, Housing and Healthcare. We are stepping up our cleaning all over our 27 acre campus and we are asking for donations to help us purchase more:

Bleach

Hand Sanitizer

Masks

Clorox Wipes

Prayers

Keep us all in your prayers. We have an amazing team that is made up of Mothers, Daughters, Fathers and Sons that have lives outside these brick walls and families that depend on them, just as you are also depending on them. They are vital to Sayre Christian Village and they are your connection to your loved one. They are our Healthcare & Housing Heroes! They continue to provide excellent care for the residents even while they may have some anxiety about the news events as they unfold. They have been pivoting quickly all week and we are so proud of them.

eCards

Please consider sending your loved one AND a staff member an eCard. These are delivered within 24 hours and cost you nothing! They sure do brighten everyone’s day.

With gratitude,

Karen Venis, CEO

(March 11, 2020) – As Governor Andy Beshear said this morning, some of the new COVID-19 recommendations feel aggressive and he said that is intentional. He is said he is very aggressively trying to slow the spread of the virus in Kentucky to give time to private labs and scientists time to work toward bringing additional resources online and to develop potential vaccines.

We agree with the Governor, that while disruptions are an annoyance, it is important to take every step to protect the most vulnerable. It is “his job (and also ours at Sayre Christian Village) to protect the health and life” of the elderly, the Governor stated.

We want to personally say thank you for the way families and residents alike have responded to these short-term visitor restrictions. We want to congratulate our team on their level-headed and calm response to this novel virus. They have pivoted quickly daily to new recommendations from the CDC, state health department, Governor, state associations and our medical director.

Governor Beshear clarified a question during his press conference about Assisted Living facilities. While they technically fall under different guidelines, he is still strongly recommending that the same guidelines for visitor restriction be followed out an abundance of caution. Of course, we are hoping that the visitor restriction is short-lived and that normalcy returns to the state soon. We will continue to update as we know more! Thank you for your continued prayers for our campus, as our Mission remains the same regardless of the Coronavirus, to provide hope, housing and healthcare for seniors in the Bluegrass.

With gratitude,

Karen Venis, CEO

(March 10, 2020) – “We are all in this together,” said Gov. Andy Beshear.

Governor Beshear announced today that Kentucky Long Term Care facilities and Assisted Living Facilities should restrict all visitors and volunteers except the loved ones of patients receiving end-of-life care in an effort to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus.

Beshear described the step as “strong guidance” for nursing homes, assisted living facilities and long-term care facilities, but made clear further action would be taken if it is not followed.

The restrictions on visitation are mandatory for State Operated LTC Facilities.

The state posted specifics on its COVID-19 website Tuesday that said long-term care facilities should screen staff for symptoms of respiratory infection, international travel to restricted countries and exposure to someone with COVID-19.

The Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Department for Public Health pursuant to authority granted in KRS 214.020 and Executive Order 2020-215 hereby issues this supplemental guidance by recommending that long-term care facilities limit visitation only to those loved ones that are receiving end-of-life care.

Beshear said he hopes people understand that the visitation restriction is necessary to protect those most likely to have life-threatening complications from the disease.

Sayre Christian Village is happy to facilitate phone calls, FaceTime and Skype ‘visits’ and will work out times with families if they request it. Please reach out to our social workers or activities teams to get a time set up for a ‘video visit.’

Sayre Covid-19 Information Line Please continue to leave messages on the Sayre Covid-19 Information Line and those will be returned promptly.

We will continue to monitor the situation daily, sometimes several times a day, depending on the information that we’re receiving. Thank you for your patience as we navigate through unknown territory.

With gratitude,

Karen L. Venis, CEO

(March 9, 2020) – Christian Village is aware of the concerns about the COVID-19 coronavirus and as always, the health and welfare of our residents is our greatest priority. Our team members are working diligently to monitor, educate and prevent the COVID-19 illness in our community. While the risk remains low and there is no need to panic, we want to ensure we are doing our part by taking measures to reduce the risk in our community.

Currently, we don’t have any cases of COVID-19 on our campus. As a matter of precaution and prevention, we are following our infection control and emergency preparedness policies and are continuously monitoring our practices to ensure they follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations and guidelines.

As a precaution and preventative measure against the spread of infection, we have made the decision to restrict visitors from Sayre Healthcare Center, Friendship Towers Assisted Living facility, Baunta and Forest View Apartments until further notice. We apologize in advance for any inconvenience, but please know that our primary objective is to protect the health of our residents, many of whom are already medically compromised and are at great risk for infection.

In addition to following the recommendations of the CDC on prevention steps, Sayre Christian Village is also following recommendations from the Office of the Governor, the Office of the Inspector General, the Kentucky Department of Public Health and the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department. We are also in constant communication with our medical director to ensure we have the latest information on the prevention of COVID-19 in our community.

PREVENTION & EDUCATION

We are in constant review of our infection control policies and procedures and are providing ongoing education to our staff and our residents to reinforce healthy and safe standards of care.

We have increased housekeeping services on our campus.

We are rescheduling all external routine resident appointments to limit exposure.

Scheduled trips and performances on campus are cancelled this week and we will assess day-to-day going forward.

We currently are NOT restricting new admissions/move-ins for new residents, however will conduct appropriate screenings prior to admission on our campus. While we will take new move-ins and admits, they will have to be screened first.

We will not be providing tours of our campus to the public until further notice.

Staff members are being educated and screened. In the event and employee has a fever, cough, or other signs of respiratory illness, we are asking them to report it to their supervisor and NOT report to work.

Employees will not be moving between buildings across campus and administration staff will not be interacting with residents or be in resident areas to limit exposure.

COMMUNICATION

I am committed to transparency and swift communication regarding the spread and prevention of COVID-19 in our community and as such, we will be updating the public and families daily through several methods:

Daily COVID-19/Coronavirus Update Information Line – Sayre Christian Village has set up a dedicated information phone line that will be updated after 10 AM daily with any new information that has changed. If you have a concern or question, you may leave a message and your call will be returned within 24 hours. The direct number is (859) 899-0831 or you may dial our main number and you will be prompted for the hotline: (859) 271 – 9000, dial 9. Messages that are left will be returned within 24 hours.

Social Media – As information changes, we will update the Sayre Christian Village Facebook page.

Facetime/Skype – We understand that connecting with loved ones is incredibly important, and there are a variety of other ways you might consider connecting with them than visiting in person. These may include telephone, email, text, or through Skype or Facetime. Let us know how we can help facilitate communication.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING COVID-19

Thank you for your continued support and prayers for our community, residents and staff.

With gratitude,

Karen L. Venis, CEO

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Sayre Christian Village is the only faith-based nonprofit continuing care retirement community in Fayette County. We provide independent living, assisted living, transitional short-term rehabilitation, skilled nursing services, and dementia care to more than 375 older adults. The organization operates on a beautiful 27-acre campus in Southeast Lexington and has served the needs of older adults since 1983. Sayre Christian Village just completed their annual state health inspection, performed by the Office of the Inspector General February 4 – 6th, and are proud to announce that they received no deficiencies in nursing services or infection control. CMS has ranked them a four-star facility.

Sayre Christian Village

Sayre Christian Village has built a reputation as a versatile, thriving retirement community. The lovely 27-acre campus is located in a quiet neighborhood, yet is minutes away from shopping, restaurants and medical facilities.